UGH! Made my first batch of candles and tarts w/C1 and 6006

[loveandlight]

Not sure either of these will be good holiday gifts :undecided

I did three different formulas, all with FO @1% PP and the same FO for all candles and tarts:

- straight C1, heated to 160, added fragrance oil, poured at 120.

- straight 6006, heated to 190, FO added at 180, poured at 160.

- 50/50 combo of both, heated to 180, FO added at 160, poured at 140.

Used HTP 62 wicks and a 6 oz vintage cut mason jar.

I've let them cure for a week now, both tarts and candles. Burned/tested today - barely any throw, plus major sooting when doing a PB on the candles all the way through.

Other observations:

- straight C1 has major top sinkholes/crumbly texture. Doesn't look as elegant/smooth as the 6006. CT level 3. HT level 4.

- straight 6006 has a great finish but some dipping toward the wick. CT level 3, HT level 5.

- 50/50 combo has the best finish and C/HT. CT level 4, HT level 6.

I really need to try some other waxes, this is nowhere near the level of what I would get from the etailers I've purchased from in the past. I love the creamy look of soy and the throw of paraffin, any other wax combo suggestions out there?

[marcuset]

Am I understanding correctly, 1% per pound (pp)? There would be your major reason right there. Most use a standard of 6% per lb. HTH.

[Node11]

I don't work with those wax blends but 1% FO seems pretty light. That would be 0.16oz of FO per pound of wax. A typical starting point to test is about 6% or 1oz of FO per pound of wax.

[loveandlight]

Can you guys tell I'm ugh'd to the max? I meant 1 oz FO/PP.

[Node11]

I thought that may be the case but wanted to be sure

I'm still dialing in my ingredients and process, too. I started in mid August and hope to have something to market by spring of 2014. I can't offer much help yet other than basic strategies to try.

I learned early on that this craft is extremely personal and it takes a lot of trial, error, patience and skill to make something great. You can give 10 people the exact same set of ingredients and instructions and get 8 different product qualities. That fact seems strange to me but oddly enough it's true :/

Keep at it. You will get there!

[marcuset]

Gotcha, loveandlight. I've been "ugh'd to the max" too many times to remember. I don't think I can say it any better than Node11 did: "I learned early on that this craft is extremely personal and it takes a lot of trial, error, patience and skill to make something great. You can give 10 people the exact same set of ingredients and instructions and get 8 different product qualities. That fact seems strange to me but oddly enough it's true :/ Keep at it. You will get there!"

All the best to you & keep pluggin!

[Vernie1]

I've haven't tried C1, but I have tried 6006. For me, 6006 didn't have any dips near the wick if poured higher than 160. You'll get better tops by pouring hotter around 170. Whenever I poured lowered than 165, the tops will have some shrinkage near the wick. I also had better burning with no soot with Eco wicks. I used 1.5 oz per pound with this wax. For me this was a good wax that throws well. Most times, you will have to come up with your own candle formula that will work better than most candle making instructions listed on the package.

[jbrooks]

I totally feel your pain. I recently (maybe 1.5-2 weeks ago?) attempted my first couple of batches of candles. I haven't used your waxes, I've been using 4630. All I can say is, wow was I disappointed! I've been lurking and reading here for about a year before trying anything, and I honestly thought it would go a bit smoother. Bought a presto pot and the works.

Well, so far, I have a pretty decent CT, not a good HT. Have tried 1 oz/pp up to 1.5oz/pp (which did do a BIT better.) Some cured, some no cure; have tried a handful of scents. It's just a steep learning curve. I think wicking is the hardest part for me personally.

So, I have no real advice, because I'm struggling too, but wanted to let you know that you're not alone here! I do think it takes tons of practice and testing, like everyone here is saying. I bought 3 more waxes to try as well just to see if I like something else before I pull my hair out trying to perfect one wax that might not even be for me.

Best of luck to you!!!

[chuck_35550]

Your 50-50 formulation would actually be about 85% soy and 15% paraffin. I've read different percentages on 6006 and some say it is a 70/30 formula or 80/20 but the one I go by is 65% soy and 35% paraffin (add 15% soy to get a 50-50 formulation). I recommend the addition of 15% soy with cd or cdn wicks and fo load of 6 to 7% per pound. Pour into cold jars and don't cover. The adhesion is good and the ht/ct is excellent with most fos after a couple of days. I've tested everything out there and still use Clarus 3022. Find a wax and learn is my best advice. HTH

Steve

[loveandlight]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I feel a little bit better, I was definitely using the wrong wicks bc they would drown out and I'd fish them out, start over again, and get frustrated. *waves fist at candle*

@Vernie - thanks for the tip, I will try it again at that temp with my new wood wicks.

@Node - good luck! I hope it goes well

@marcuset - thanks for the wishes

@jbrooks - I agree, the wicking is a PITA

@chuck - thank you SO much for the breakdown! I'll take a look at the Clarus and wick recs

[Vernie1]

You're Welcome:smiley2: